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Cheetahkit sat between his mother’s paws, dozing off as she groomed the back of his neck. The moonlight gleamed, shining in the entrance of the nursery.
“Ok, ok! Can I go outside now? I want to hear stories from Copperclaw!” Cheetahkit’s fur turned purple with annoyance, and he fluttered his wings.
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Lilacstream heaved a sigh and stepped back. “Alright, you may go, but make sure to be back at dawn!” She raised her voice as Cheetahkit cantered excitedly out of the den, looking around at all the impressive NightClan warriors until he spotted Nettlespring dozing in the moonlight. With NightClan’s amazing night vision, nighttime looked practically like daytime to all the cats, including him. Daytime was so bright, it made his eyes hurt. He was glad the nursery blocked the sun while he slept the day away.
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Cheetahkit bounded across the logs and vines toward Nettlespring and then stopped a short distance away from the warrior. He dropped low into a crouch as his muscles slid into place.
I can do this. I’m a natural.
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His pride at his crouch distracted him, and his paw crunched on a vine. Cheetahkit stopped and went motionless, but Nettlespring had already looked up from grooming his ear and was looking straight at him. Cheetahkit stood up, orange flecks growing on his fur as disappointment boiled in his body.
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“You did manage to not get my attention until that mistake,” Nettlespring meowed, reading his thoughts. “You need to focus on your prey more than your pride until you catch it,” he said.
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“Ergh, can you at least pretend you didn’t notice that? The stupid vine.” Cheetahkit stomped on the dented vine with his hind paw, and it snapped in two.
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“You’ll get it! Just takes time. When you’re an apprentice, I bet you’ll become a very fine hunter in no time.” Cheetahkit lifted his tail with pride.
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“Cheetahkit! You told me you were going to the elders, not to go bother Nettlespring!” Lilacstream appeared behind Cheetahkit, and his heart sank when Nettlespring smiled at his mother. “He didn’t bother me, Lilacstream. A fine kit you have. He’ll be a great new set of paws for NightClan,” he meowed.
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Lilacstream flicked her tail. “Yes, well, I don’t want him wandering about when he’s hardly five moons. Cheetahkit, go to the elders’ den while your siblings have their bathes, or come back to the nursery. Save all this energy for your sixth moon, alright?” Lilacstream licked his ear and Cheetahkit exhaled in annoyance.
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After Lilacstream padded away and Nettlespring headed to a small group of warriors outside the warriors’ den, Cheetahkit stomped toward the elders’ den, a thick log with an opening on both sides.
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“What are you doing out here?” a voice snarled suddenly at his left. Cheetahkit turned his head, knowing he would see Sunpaw. Sunpaw and Scorchpaw loomed over him as if demanding authority.
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“To the elders. Put your noses in someone else’s business, won’t you?” Cheetahkit mentally fought his fur so it wouldn’t bloom with red colors of anger, continuing to step towards the elders’ den, but Sunpaw stomped a paw on the ground in front of him and Cheetahkit halted.
“Tough words for a kit. Shouldn’t you be in the nursery, sleeping day and night while us warriors and apprentices do the important work around here, so we can keep you kits safe from getting . . . hmm . . . eaten by a fox?” His voice dripped with scorn and mockery.
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Now Cheetahkit couldn’t stop the billows of red spreading on his fur. “Maybe one day I’ll be the one saving you from being eaten by a fox, given how careless you are. I’m surprised you’re even apprenticed to a senior warrior. You must think you’re so great. Hate to break it to you, you’re not,” Cheetahkit growled.
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Sunpaw’s face contorted with rage, and his fur became a mix of red and orange, along with Scorchpaw, who bristled. “Come on, Scorchpaw. We have border patrol. After all, our warrior ceremony is tomorrow. Best lead any snakes and badgers to Cheetahkit so they can devour him.” They padded away with Sunpaw shooting one last menacing glare at Cheetahkit.
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“I won’t miss you!” Cheetahkit yelled. Great NovaPelts, just wait until I’m an apprentice in a moon. He glanced at the elder den. Screw it. I’ll just go back to the nursery.
Once he reached the nursery, he looked at the sky, realizing the moon was beginning to sink, and the night sky was getting brighter. He looked inside the nursery, seeing his sisters, Honeykit and Adderkit, napping in their nest next to Lilacstream, who had laid down beside them.
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“Hello, dear. I was just about to get you. Come, dawn is breaking.” Cheetahkit folded his wings and settled into the nest, dozing off and burying his head in his paws as the sun rose.
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The next night, Cheetahkit opened his eyes to Shadewing’s call from the ShadowRock. “Let all NightClan cats gather at the ShadowRock for a Clan meeting.”
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Lilacstream nudged him to his feet and then did the same to his sisters. They all yawned, stretching their legs and wings, and then flew to the center where the Clan was seated below the ShadowRock.
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Shadewing was on the top of the rock, looking down. “A fine night, everyone. Tonight, we have two apprentices who have recently passed their final assessments to be recognized as great potential NightClan warriors, and they have passed without flaws. Under the gazes of Invincible and every NovaPelt,” Shadewing looked up, everyone following his gaze to the five big stars above the Clan territories, “I wish for Sunpaw and Scorchpaw to step forward, so I may grant them the name that they will carry forever, as long as they are in NightClan.”
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Cheetahkit watched them step forward, their heads held high, trying to make his fur not turn orange in envy. Great. Come my next moon, those two will never stop ordering me around like the warriors they are.
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“Mapledrift. Do you accept that Sunpaw is ready to be given his warrior name?” Shadewing asked the senior warrior.
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Mapledrift nodded. “I do.”
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Shadewing turned to Sunpaw. “And you, Sunpaw, accept your warrior name as well?” he asked.
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Sunpaw straightened. “I do, Shadewing,” he replied.
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Shadewing gave a short nod of approval. “Then, by the power of the NovaPelts, I give you the name of Sunstride.”
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The Clan erupted into cheers. “Sunstride! Sunstride!” they shouted. When Cheetahkit stayed silent, Lilacstream nudged him. “Cheer for your new warrior, Cheetahkit!” she whispered to him.
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Fine. Get it over with. “Sunstride!” he yowled. Then the cheering stopped as Shadewing turned to Scorchpaw.
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“Echoheart. Do you accept that Scorchpaw is ready to be given his warrior name?”
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“I do,” Echoheart meowed.
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“And you, Scorchpaw, accept your warrior name as well?”
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“Yes, I do,” Scorchpaw said proudly.
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“Then, by the power of the NovaPelts, I give you the name of Scorchlight.” NightClan stood up and cheered once more, shouting Scorchlight’s name, and Cheetahkit joined in, saying his new name once. I’ll be an even better warrior than those two combined . . . whenever my sixth moon arrives.
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Cheetahkit woke up as soon as night fell, his pelt a mixture of purple and pink in excitement. He was six moons old now.
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“Guys, wake up! Shadewing’s about to call the most important meeting ever!” He prodded Honeykit, Adderkit, and Lilacstream, who stirred and opened their eyes.
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Lilacstream sat up and groomed each of them, saying she wanted them to look perfect for their apprentice ceremony. Honeykit and Adderkit also showed excitement with bright pink colors, then soon changed them before they hurried outside as Shadewing called the Clan.
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They were all gathered, and Clan members looked at him knowingly. Sunstride and Scorchlight were at his left, looking at him in scornful, narrowed eyes. They had been taunting him less since they became warriors, though sometimes they still boasted to him and cast him lowly looks. I don’t care about them. Whoever my mentor is, they’ll be the ones telling me what to do, and they won’t.
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“I gather you all here today for the apprentice ceremony of Lilacstream’s three kits who have reached their sixth moon. I would like Honeykit, Adderkit, and Cheetahkit to step forward,” Shadewing said. Cheetahkit and his littermates stepped forward, sitting below the rock, waiting for Shadewing to speak again.
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“Honeykit. Until you’ve earned your warrior name, you will be Honeypaw. I will assign Amberleaf to be your mentor, as I trust her skills will be passed onto you as you gradually become a fine NightClan warrior.”
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Honeypaw stretched her short wings and dipped her head as Amberleaf came forward to touch noses with her, and everyone cheered her name, Lilacstream being the first. Cheetahkit looked at her mother to see that her eyes shone with pride, and her pelt was bright yellow with spirals of cerulean.
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“Darknight, I trust you will teach Adderpaw all you know so your new apprentice can learn to become a great NightClan warrior,” Shadewing meowed.
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Darknight nodded. “I will, Shadewing.” He padded to Adderpaw and touched noses with her, and Cheetahkit’s sister glowered with pride as the Clan cheered her new name.
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As the Clan died down, Cheetahkit felt exhilaration rippling along his spine. My turn.
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“Cheetahkit. Until you’ve earned your warrior name, you will be Cheetahpaw,” Shadewing meowed.
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Cheetahkit started to raise his head, that is, until Shadewing spoke again.
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